Old-fashioned soap-making using lye is no longer the only way to produce homemade soap. Vegetable glycerin, which is a byproduct of commercial soap-making, offers an alternative. Melt glycerin, add fragrances and colors, and pour the mixture into molds to harden. The ingredients you need can be found at craft and hobby stores or through online stores. You'll likely find the equipment you need in your kitchen. The recipe yields four to five medium-sized bars of homemade soap, which you can customize with colors and scents.
Instructions
1. Cut the glycerin soap base into 2-inch squares using a sharp knife. Most glycerin crafting soaps come in perforated blocks to make cutting easier.
2. Place the soap squares in a glass sauce pan and put the pan on the stove over low heat.
3. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon, until the soap is completely melted. This process usually takes five to 10 minutes for 1 pound of soap base.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and quickly add the remaining ingredients before the mixture hardens.
5. Add 30 to 50 drops of essential oil to the melted soap and stir to combine. Add more oil for more strongly scented bars. Add a few shavings from a block of solid soap color until you achieve the desired color. More shavings will result in a darker color. Stir to combine.
6. Add a dropper full of vitamin E oil or prick two capsules with a pin and add the contents to the soap base. Stir to combine.
7. Pour the melted soap into soap molds, which you can buy at craft and hobby stores, and place them in a cool, dry place to harden.
8. Remove your homemade soap from the molds after about six to eight hours. Leave the molds overnight, if possible, for the best results. Wrap the soap in plastic wrap or muslin cloth and store in a cool, dry place until ready to use.
Tags: soap base, cool place, craft hobby, craft hobby stores, hobby stores